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Fix Windows that has process that will not end

We'll run Task Manager as Admin, use taskkill, stop the service, or boot Safe Mode—or tell you when to call a pro.

Troubleshooting · Home maintenance
10–25 min
What you'll need
  • Administrator account
Step 1 of 5

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Steps

Goal: End the process using Task Manager as Admin, taskkill, or by stopping the service.

  • Run Task Manager as Administrator. End task. If that fails, taskkill /f /im processname.exe.
  • Good: Process ended. You are done.
  • Bad: Stop the related service or boot Safe Mode.

taskkill

Goal: Force end the process from Command Prompt.

  • Command Prompt as Administrator. taskkill /f /im processname.exe.
  • Good: Process ended.
  • Bad: Stop the service. The process may be a service that restarts.

Stop service

Goal: Stop the service so the process does not restart.

  • services.msc. Find the service. Stop. Set Startup type to Disabled.
  • Good: Process stays ended.
  • Bad: Boot Safe Mode and uninstall the program.

When to get help

Call a technician if:

  • The process persists after these steps.
  • You suspect malware.
  • Ending it causes blue screens or instability.

Verification

  • The process no longer appears in Task Manager.
  • CPU or memory usage is normal.
  • No errors when using the PC.

Escalation ladder

Work from the device outward. Stop when the problem is fixed.

  1. Task Manager as Admin Run Task Manager as Administrator; End task.
  2. taskkill taskkill /f /im processname.exe.
  3. Stop service services.msc, Stop the service.
  4. Safe Mode Boot Safe Mode; uninstall or remove.
  5. Call a pro Process persists; malware suspected.

What to capture if you need help

Before calling support or posting for help, have these ready. It speeds everything up.

  • Process name and PID
  • Whether it is a service
  • Steps already tried

Did you run Task Manager as Administrator?

Admin rights may be needed to end the process.

Right-click Task Manager, Run as administrator. End task. Good: Process ended. Bad: Use taskkill.

Yes No

You can change your answer later.

Run as Administrator

Run Task Manager as Administrator. End task.

Done

Did taskkill work?

taskkill /f forces the process to end.

Command Prompt as Admin: taskkill /f /im processname.exe. Good: Process ended. Bad: Stop the service or boot Safe Mode.

Yes No

You can change your answer later.

Stop the service

services.msc, find the service, Stop. Set to Disabled if it keeps restarting. If still not ending, Safe Mode or antivirus.

Done

Process ended

The process is stopped. Disable from Startup or uninstall if you do not want it to run again.

Done

Reviewed by Blackbox Atlas

Frequently asked questions

Why would a process not end?
It runs as a service, has higher privileges, or is malware. Run Task Manager as Admin, use taskkill, or stop the service.
What is taskkill /f?
Force kill. /f forces the process to end. /im specifies the image (process) name.
When should I call a technician?
When the process persists, you suspect malware, or ending it causes system instability.

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